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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24376480">Wedding Bells</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/falleraatje/pseuds/falleraatje'>falleraatje</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Anne with an E (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, late-night conversations, they are too stubborn for their own good</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 01:07:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,662</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24376480</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/falleraatje/pseuds/falleraatje</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Four years after Gilbert went away to Toronto for university, he returns to Avonlea for Diana's wedding. For Anne, meeting Gilbert again wakes feelings she had thought to be buried a long time ago. Does Gilbert still remember her after being away for so long, and will they be able to get over their misunderstandings once and for all?</p><p>[Let's pretend the end of Season 3 never happened and Gilbert went away without anything getting resolved].</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>46</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Wedding Bells</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Welcome to everyone who has stumbled over this little work of mine!<br/>This story mostly serves as an outlet for me to finally start writing again after taking a long break. It will probably not be updated frequently, but I do plan on adding more chapters over time. If there are any mistakes or inconsistencies, please let me know so I can fix them!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sun started beaming into the windows of the little Avonlea school house just as Anne was delivering the last words of her farewell speech that marked the end of the school year. It brightened her mood instantly, making it easier to smile through the teary goodbyes of the students who wouldn’t be returning next year, either having been accepted into Queen’s college or taking up other family duties. Anne accepted a letter from Paul Irving who tried his best not to let any tears show in front of his peers, but she knew that he was devastated about having to leave his beloved teacher behind when his family moved to the mainland. Other student who would be returning in the fall did not have such a hard time saying goodbye. They left the schoolyard chatting cheerfully about all of the glorious opportunities the seemingly endless summer held for them.</p><p>Anne watched them wander away into the fields and woods and wished that she was a girl once again, looking forward to a summer filled with exciting activities with her friends and her imagination to take her onto thrilling journeys. She still had her occasional sprouts of daydreaming, but she knew that most of her time would be taken up by helping Marilla around the house and lending Jerry a hand with farm work as best as she could. After Matthew’s passing in the winter, there would be even more chores to finish before harvest.</p><p>She decided to take a little trip to the cemetery before she went on home, picking up a few flowers on the way to put down on Matthew’s grave. A few weeks before his death, Matthew had made her promise to be strong and not mourn him for too long. She was young and she should enjoy the wonders that life presented to her. But sometimes, in moments like this, she did not find it easy to go back to being her happy, cheerful self she had developed during her youth at Green Gables.</p><p>The summer breeze rustling the leaves of the lush cherry trees couldn’t mask the sound of footsteps approaching. Anne had just started to make her way home when she spotted Diana running towards her.</p><p>“I figured I would find you here when you weren’t home!” Diana exclaimed, out of breath. A few curls had escaped her carefully crafted up-do and were framing her face like clouds.</p><p>“You look like an angel who has just descended onto the earth,” Anne remarked absentmindedly.</p><p>“Oh, Anne, your talent at compliments never ceases to amaze me. Sometimes, I wish Henry had a way with words like you do.”</p><p>Anne couldn’t help but laugh at Diana’s statement. “You know I am perfectly happy that you will be marrying the love of your life, but it is true that his imagination leaves much to be desired.” Truth be told, Henry was not the type of man she had ever thought would suit Diana, but he was smart, hard-working and his family was wealthy enough for Diana’s parents to approve of their impending nuptials. He was pleasant to talk to and she was sure he would treat Diana with the love and respect she deserved.</p><p>Diana linked their arms as they walked down the dusty road together that led away from the graveyard. “I’m glad I found an excuse to get out of the house for a while. My mother is going crazy. With the wedding only a week away, everything needs to be in perfect order. If I have to hear about the right way to place napkins and flower arrangements for another minute, I might just elope to get it over with.”</p><p>“Oh, Diana, that is just your nerves speaking. You will have a beautiful wedding and be the most beautiful bride.” Truth be told, Anne had never been to a wedding except for that disastrous affair back in the day when Prissy Andrews had left Mr Phillips at the altar, but she was sure that Diana’s wedding would be the most marvellous affair. There was only one downside to it… “And afterwards, you will leave for your new life as a married woman in the city, and I will be left here all alone, in plain old Avonlea.” She sighed dramatically.</p><p>Diana squeezed her arm. “Don’t be silly. You won’t be alone; there are plenty of people around here. And Charlottetown is only a short train ride away. You know you will always be welcome to visit our home.”</p><p>Anne shook her head, her mind clouded with fear of the upcoming change. “Still, it will not be the same. With Ruby in Nova Scotia, turning boys’ heads left and right and looking for new beaus wherever she goes, and Jane going to teach out west, all I will be left with is Josie Pye.” Anne’s mouth curled into a frown at that thought. Their childhood animosity had not turned into an adult friendship as she had hoped, but rather a shared acceptance that they would not be able to avoid each other in the little village of Avonlea, so they should make the best of it.</p><p>“Tilly will be here, too,” Diana reminded her. “And we will see each other as often as we can. And who knows, maybe you will be experiencing the joys of married life as well, sooner or later? I heard that Lawrence Spencer from Carmody has set his eyes on you.”</p><p>They went deeper into the woods, down the path that lead towards their respective homes. Anne shivered at the sudden lack of sun streaming through the leaves. At least, she pretended it was from the cold and not from the thought of Lawrence Spencer of all people courting her. How dare Diana even insinuate that Anne could ever fraternise with a boy that was known to look down on women’s education and had once at a party memorably declared that he would never let his wife have any books because reading only distracted her from her wifely duties. Anne had given him a stern talking to back then, which in hindsight seemed to have been quite misleading if it had indeed caused him to be interested in her. “I really do hope he keeps if to himself, then,” she declared. “I don’t need another stupid boy asking for my hand in marriage as if I was a piece of furniture they were trying to acquire.” It came out more bitter than intended.</p><p>Diana couldn’t stifle her giggle. “Charlie Sloane’s proposal was surely remarkable,” she agreed. “But enough of that. I am sure that when the right time arrives, you will find the love of your life and I will be cheering in the front row at your wedding.” Her tone changed suddenly, and, as if she was making an offhand comment about something utterly unimportant, she added: “I got a letter from Gilbert Blythe today that he will be happy to attend my wedding.” Only the slight smile lingering in the corners of her mouth betrayed her feigned air of nonchalance.</p><p>Anne choked on the warm summer air. The proceeded coughing fit mercifully saved her from having to respond to Diana’s statement. Once she had regained her composure, they had already reached the crossroads where they were to part ways. They hugged goodbye as they always done back in the days when they had been walking back from school together and Diana hurried up the path toward the Barry farm. Her mother was surely waiting for her with a scolding because she had missed an important wedding planning activity.</p><p>Meanwhile, Anne took her time walking back to Green Gables. She had taken this path so many times over the years that she could have found a way blindfolded in the dark, which was convenient because she was paying so little attention to her surroundings that she would have walked into countless trees had she not grown up surrounded by their calming presence.</p><p>Gilbert was coming back. It had been three years since she had last seen him. He had left for university in Toronto without another word, without even letting her know about his change of plans regarding getting married to Winifred and studying at the Sorbonne. She had considered writing to him, but her pride had always gotten the better of her, and he had never reached out to her either. The following summer he had spent in Charlottetown, working with Doctor Ward and coming home to Bash and Delphine on the weekends. She had seen him a few times and he had been very polite and reserved in every instance.</p><p>Gilbert coming back would change nothing. He was only here for Diana, his good friend from school, and probably for Bash and his family, too. He had probably forgotten about Anne altogether during his exciting life in the city. Or maybe he did remember her as an old classmate that you talked to occasionally whenever you met them at a social event, but didn’t have any further connection with. Anne was aware that this realisation should not make her as upset.</p><p>Truth be told, she hadn’t even thought about Gilbert much lately. Only in the rare moments when the carefully crafted walls around her heart broke in to flood her with notions about ‘what if’ and ‘what could have been’. Maybe if she hadn’t been so ignorant about her feelings for years, if she’d dared to tell Gilbert instead of writing him a stupid note that he probably had not even read… but there was no use dwelling about it. She had decided a long time ago that she would not spend her whole life dwelling over daydreams of Gilbert. Instead, she had finished her studies and become a hard-working woman, a good teacher, a person she could be proud of. She didn’t need any boy to make her life complete.</p><p>Gilbert returning to Avonlea would not change that.</p>
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